A contribution to knowledge of the genus Coniopteryx (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) in Madagascar, with descriptions of 18 new species

Description of 18 new Coniopteryx species is given from Madagascar, and a further one (Coniopteryx (X.) botswana Meinander, 1998) is reported as new to the fauna of this country. The new species are: Coniopteryx (C.) ambalihana sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) auricularia sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) bidentatus sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) corniculata sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) crenata sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) fianarantsoana sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) geniculata sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) harinhalai sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) ihorombeana sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) microcauda sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) pseudoceylonica sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) pseudomalagasensis sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) ranomafanana sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) schizostylaris sp. n.,  Coniopteryx (C.) spinicauda sp. n., Coniopteryx (C.) toamasinana sp. n., Coniopteryx (X.) antankarana sp. n., Coniopteryx (X.) tuleariensis sp. n. . Besides, revalidation of Coniopteryx (X.) sestertia Meinander, 1998, and necessary emendation of Coniopteryx malgasensis Sziraki, 2015 is given also. Majority of the new species belongs to the Coniopteryx lobifrons group; distributional pattern of this species group is discussed.